Portsmouth, VA: Cemetery Complex Gains Advocates, Lia Russell, The Virginian-Pilot

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Four historic adjoining cemeteries – Mount Calvary, Fisher’s Hill, Mount Olive and a potter’s field – are in need of restoration and preservation. The African American Cemeteries of Portsmouth Foundation, a newly founded “friends” group, is hoping to spearhead the effort. (Photo: The Virginian-Pilot)

By Lia Russell

The long-neglected historic African American cemetery complex off Deep Creek Boulevard and Pulaski Street now has a dedicated advocacy group.

Brenda and Nadia Orton, a mother and daughter from Richmond who have at least 15 relatives buried in the cemeteries, have formed the African American Historic Cemeteries of Portsmouth Foundation, a “friends” group of volunteers.

The idea manifested as a result of a meeting earlier this month with representatives of the Chicora Foundation, which was hired to complete a restoration and preservation plan for the four conjoined cemeteries.  READ MORE